Effect of NPK fertilizer and culture of legume plants on physical characteristics and productivity of Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cv. Sayer.
Abstract
A study was conducted at date palm station that belong to Horticulture office of ministry of agriculture in Basra located in Hartha north of Basra during 2013 -2014 season to find the the effect of the addition of the chemical fertilizer NPK+TE (20-20-20) and culture of legumes (alfalfa and broad been) around date palm trees cv. Sayer on chemical and physical characteristics during rutab stage. Fertilizers were added around tree trunk at depth of 25 cm and half diameter of one meter. Fertilizer were added at (0, 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250 and 1500) gm / tree at two different time, the first one on 15/10/2013 and second addition on 1/3/2014. Alfalfa and broad bean were culture around trees on 1/10/2013.Results showed the significant effect of fertilizer at 1500 gm / tree level on most physical and productivity of fruits of cv. Sayer. The 1500 g m/ tree treatment was superior in its effect on physical characteristics which were, fruit weight , mesocarp , seeds , fruit length, diameter, fruit size which were, 7.19gm, 6.29 gm, 0.90 gm, 3.76 cm, 1.69 cm, 5.33 cm3, respectively ,wheras ,control treatment results were, 5.34 gm , 4.47 gm , 0.88 gm , 2.91 cm , 1.27 cm and 5.21 cm3, respectively and not significantly different from alfalfa and broad bean culture and 1250gm/tree treatment. . The 1500gm/tree treatment was superior compered to control treatment in ripening percent (69.33% ), bunch weight(6.82 kg) and total yield (40.92 kg) but not significantly different from alfalfa in ripening percent and alfalfa and broad bean treatmen and 1250gm/tree in bunch weight and total yield.
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